Power control



Aug- 22 19.50 R. T. SMITH 2,519,510

PowER CONTROL Filed May 5l, 1946 ATTORNEY.'

Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES betreur OFFICE.

l Claims.

In operating or driving motor vehicles which are propelled by a prime mover. and in the control of the power or speed of the prime mover, the operator frequently is obliged to maintain, for considerable periods of time, a certain setting of the throttle or control means against force, as for instance, a spring or counterweight tending to restore the control means to the closed throttle or off position. This results in the operator becoming fatigued,

Furthermore, it is often desirable to maintain 'a predetermined speed, rather than a predetermined value of throttle opening or power output.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to combine a governor with a control clamping means which, without more than the usual attention on the part of the operator, will function to provide the advantage of not being necessary constantly to hold pressure against the throttle closing means, without the inherent danger of positively holding open the throttle by means not directly operated by the self-closing throttle control.

The invention also has for an object to provide quick reduction of throttle opening or power output when certain associated controls of the controlled prime mover are operated (as, for instance, the depressing of either a clutch pedal or a brake pedal or both) without any distracting attention on the part of the operator.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter` To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, invention also resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts all of which will be hereinafter first fully described and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic or schematic View of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section through the foot-operated valve mounted on the accelerator pedal or throttle lever.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section of the second valve on the pedal-operated rock shaft.

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the two-way valve shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section of the speed-control governor device.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line $176 of Fig.5.

2 Fig. 'l is a horizontal section on the line l-l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the lower clutch member.

In the drawing in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all the gures. i is the throttle duct to the intake manifold 2, in which duct the usual throttle valve 3 is carried on a shaft 4. .An arm 5 lis provided on the outer end of shaft Il for purposes presently referred to.

6 is a shaft which turns at a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle or prime mover and carries a pulley l which drives a pulley 8 by a connecting belt 8a. The pulley 8 in turn drives a flexible shaft 9 that extends to the shaft IB of a combined speed governor and throttle valve locking device, Said device includes a closed casing Il containing, preferably, a suitable hydraulic fiuid 92. The shaft l0 rotates freely in a bearing sleeve l2 and has a flange lli at its lower or inner end. The bearing sleeve l2 is rigidly secured to the casing 'Il by nuts i3. Mounted to turn on the bearing sleeve l2 is the sleeve l5 of a peripherally grooved disc or plate I5, which carries vanes 2l having their lower ends bevelled as at 22. The disc or plate l5 with its vanes 2i comprises one element of a clutch device, the other element of which comprises a disc or plate 23 having a bevelled annular ange 24 to cooperate with the vanes 2i as will later more clearly appear. A strap Il has one end anchored at I8 in the groove of the disc or plate I6 and has its other end connected to a spring i9 that is anchored to the case Il as at 20. The spring tends to turn disc I6 in one direction and bring it back to a rest position.

The disc 23 has a hub 25 which has a bearing recess 25 into which shaft lo sets on a coil spring 2l. The bottom of the hub 25 is closed and rests on an anti-friction bearing 28 held by a spring loaded bearing member 29. The member 29 is yieldingly mounted on one arm 3l of a bell crank lever that is pivoted at 32 to the casing l l, on a spring 30.

The bell crank lever has another arm 33 between which and the casing I l is a push spring 34 which constantly urges the bell crank lever to turn in one direction on its pivot 32.

36 is a bearing sleeve welded or otherwise secured to the wall of the casing II and 1n which is mounted a shaft 35, one end of which extends to the outside of the casing and has an attached arm or .lever 43 later again referred t0, T9 the .lower end of shaft 35 is attached .the accelerator pedal.

an arm or lever 31, the free end of which is pivoted to one end of a connecting rod 38 whose other end is pivoted, at a suitable place, to the disc or plate 23 (see Figs. 5 and 6). A third arm 39 is secured to shaft 3| below bearing sleeve 36, through an aperture in which a headed rod 4| freely passes, the rod 4| also freely passing through a hole in a portion 4|) of the bell crank arm 33. A coil spring 42 on rod 4| serves to separate arms 33 and 39 when the governing action is not in use, but is caused to be without effect when the governing action is brought into use since the energizing of diaphragm unit 44 moves rod 45 to move bell-crank levers 3|-33 to compress and hold ineffective spring 34, and permitting spring 42 to float in the increased distance between levers 33 and 39 without pressure on lever 39 tending to close the throttle.

A bellows 44 contained within the case l! is securely held on a wall of the case and is connected to the arm 3| by connecting rod 45 pivoted to the same as at 46. Secured to shaft I3 and located between the upper and lower discs or plates 6 and 23 respectively is an impeller 88 having radial vanes 89 to cooperate with the vanes 2|. The hub 90 of impeller 88 is pinned at 9| to shaft l0 as shown in Fig. 7.

Hydraulic fluid 92 is placed in the casing l to a suitable depth, via an aperture in the casing which has a removable closure plug 41.

The arm and the accelerator pedal 50 are operatively connected together and to lever or arm 43 by a common pivotal connection 93, via connecting rods 48 and 49 respectively. The pedal 50 is pivoted at 5| to the foot board 94 or other suitable place on the vehicle.

52 designates a Valve device casing mounted on As best shown in Fig, 2 the valve device consists of a casing 52 having a port 54 to which one end of a duct 53 connects, a Valve controlled port 55 to which one end of a duct 62 connects, a valve controlled port 59 to atmosphere, a Ipush rod 60 on a valve carrier 56 which carrier has a valve 58 for port 59 and a valve 51 for port 55. The valves 51 and 56 operate alternately. A spring 6| constantly tends to push the valve carrier 56 and plunger G outwardly and normally hold valve 56 to close port 59 and hold valve 51 to open port 55.

A duct 62 has one end connected with port 55. The other end of the duct 62 connects with a port 65 in a second valve device casing 63 best shown in Fig. 3.

A rock shaft 14 is mounted in suitable bearings 63, 11 and carries a pedal 16. The bearing 63 also serves as the casing for the tapered or plug valve 61 on one end of the shaft 14.

The plug valve 61 has a semi-circular groove which registers with port 65 when in one position and with an air port 66 when the plug valve is in another position. The valve 61 also has a groove to register with a port 64 in casing 63 when the valve is in the first stated position. A groove 69 connects grooves 68 and 10 at all times. A spring 1|, washer 12 and pin 13 keep the plug valve 61 Seated.

The rock shaft 14 has fingers or cams 15 to cooperate with the brake and clutch pedal levers 19 and 18 respectively. A duct 8D connects the intake manifold 2, at 80a with port 64 via a two way valve device 8 The valve device 8| has ports 82, 33 to which duct 89 connects, and a port 84 to atmosphere. The valve proper 85 has a T-passage 86 to effect the duct 89, the operator depresses control pedal 16 to rotate shaft 14 to operate valve device to a position where passage 69 communicates with ducts 62, 69 permitting the partial vacuum in manifold 2, through connection a, duct 80 and valve device 6|, valve device 63, valve device 52, duct 53 to bellows or diaphragm unit 44, and operating rod 45 to rock bell crank 3|, 33 and lift arm 3|.

Lifting arm 3| raises disc 23 to bring it into clutching relation to vanes 2| and thereby locks discs |6 and 23 together (operator having removed pressure from pedal 59 in such manner as to `permit valve 58 to close port 59 and valve 51 to open port 55).

Since disc or plate I6 constantly assumes a position (by action of fluid from mpeller 88 impinging on vanes 2l and opposed in rotation by spring |9) corresponding to the rotative speed of shaft I0, plate 23 will now move with plate I6 in one direction of rotation if shaft increases in rotative speed and in the opposite direction upon a decrease of rotative speed of shaft I6. Plate 23, being connected through linkage 38 and arm 31 to shaft 35, will turn said shaft 35 in corresponding directions and transmit the necessary movements to the throttle valve to move it in the direction to maintain the chosen speed of the controlled vehicle or prime mover.

Since the clutching action between plates I6 and 23 is made to occur at the will of the operator at any chosen speed, the governing action is not confined to any one speed, but will tend to maintain any chosen speed within the capability of the controlled prime mover.

Recovery by the operator of control from governed speed is by pressure at pedal 5D suliicient to operate valve 52, whereupon the effect of vacuum or pressure is removed by action of valves 58, 51 as above described, permitting spring 21 to move plate 23 out of clutching position with plate I6 and permitting spring 34 to move lever arm 33 to bring spring 42 into effect, tending to close the throttle; pedal 50 will now function in the conventional manner, responding to pressure upon pedal 56 to open the throttle and responding to spring 42 to close the throttle.

Also, upon operation of either or both of the associated controls 18, 19 (shown as clutch and brake pedals), cams 15 will be operated to rotate shaft 14 so as to operate valve 61 to the position of shut-off to the vacuum line connection 80 and establish a path through the passage 68 and connection 62 to open duct 62 to atmosphere via port 6G, thus relieving ypartial vacuum or pressure at vacuum unit 44 to permit pedal 5D to function conventionally as an accelerator pedal as above described.

While I have disclosed a governor of the hydraulic type, the advantages of this invention are not limited to the use of hydraulic fluid in casing In the case of controlling an easily operated throttle, air might be the medium employed to transmit the rotative effect of vanes 89, 2| to plate I6.

While I have disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire it understood that modiiications can readily be made by those skilled in the art which will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Applicant is the applicant who on even date herewith led applications Serial No. 673,577 now Patent #2,487,606 issued November 8, 1949, and Serial No. 673,578 now Patent #2,479,646 issued August 23, 1949.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, wherein is provided a vehicle having a prime mover, a throttle valve, and an accelerator lever, the improvement which includes: a governor device having a casing, a rotatable shaft, means operatively connecting said shaft to the throttle valve and to the accelerator pedal, a driven shaft, means operatively connected lwith and driven from a part of the vehicle which rotates proportionately to the speed oi the vehicle, a springresisted clutch plate rotatably mounted concentrically on said driven shaft within said casing, a floating clutch plate mounted in said casing to cooperate with said spring-resisted clutch plate, a connecting rod between said iioating clutch member and said rotatable shaft that is connected to the throttle valve and accelerator lever, means continuously tending to de-clutch said clutch plates, means carried by said driven shaft and said spring-resisted clutch plate for effecting rotation of said spring-resisted clutch plate in one direction, and means controlled from the accelerator lever for eiecting a clutching action between said clutch plates at the will of the operi ator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein means are provided for eiecting a :ie-clutching action between said clutch plates independently of said accelerator lever.

3. In motor vehicles having a prime mover and having a throttle valve, an accelerator lever, a clutch and a brake lever, and an operative connection between the throttle and the accelerator lever, and wherein is provided means for locking the throttle in any suitable desired position under control of the operator, the improvement which includes: a speed governor device, suction-operated means for operatively connecting said governor device with said throttle valve, means under control of the operator for controlling said suction-operated means to operatively connect and disconnect said governor device with said throttle valve at will and for locking said throttle valve operatively to said governor device for maintaining predetermined speeds, said operatorcontrolled means including a control valve mounted on the accelerator lever.

4. In motor vehicles having a prime mover and having a throttle valve, an accelerator lever, a clutch and a brake lever, and an operative connection between the throttle and the accelerator lever, and wherein is provided means for locking the throttle in any suitable desired position under control of the operator, the improvement which includes: a speed governor device, suction-operated means for operatively connecting said governor device with said throttle valve, means under control of the operator for controlling said suction-operated means to operatively connect and disconnect said governor device with said throttle valve at will and for locking said throttle valve operatively to said governor device for maintaining predetermined speeds, said operatorcontrolled means including a control valve mounted on the accelerator lever, and a suctionrelease valve operative by the clutch and brake levers for purposes described.

5. In motor vehicles having a prime mover provided with a throttle valve, a shaft rotatable at speeds proportional to that of the vehicle or prime mover, a brake mechanism including a brake lever, and an accelerator lever operatively connected with said throttle valve, the improvement which includes: a speed governor, suctionoperated means for connecting said speed governor with said throttle valve to maintain the speed of the vehicle at any suitable throttle setting by said accelerator lever, and means on the accelerator lever for controlling said suction means to operatively connect and disconnect said governor to and from said throttle valve.

6'. The improvement of claim 5, wherein means operative by the brake-lever of the vehicle is provided for operatively disconnecting the governor from the throttle valve upon application of the brake.

7. In apparatus 0f the class described wherein is provided a vehicle having a prime mover, a throttle valve, and an accelerator lever, the improvement which comprises a hydraulic speed governor that includes a driven shaft driven while the vehicle is in motion at a speed proportionately to the vehicle speed, a spring-resisted clutch plate rotatably mounted on said driven shaft, a oating clutch plate mounted to cooperate with said spring-resisted clutch plate when engaged therewith, an operative connection between said floating clutch plate and said throttle valve and said accelerator lever, a lever for moving said floating clutch plate into engagement with said spring-resisted clutch plate, a floating connecting rod between said lever and said connection between said floating clutch plate and said throttle valve, a spring on said floating connecting rod operative between said lever and said connection between said floating clutch plate and said throttle Valve, and a stronger spring engaging said lever to oppose the action of said spring on said rod, and means mounted on said accelerator lever for effecting operation of said iioating clutch plate moving lever.

REUBEN T. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,987,275 Tatter Jan. 8, 1935 2,014,854 Lothrop Sept. 17, 1935 2,036,619 Brown Apr. 7, 1936 2,157,588 Brewer May 9, 1939 2,208,473 Ross July 16, 1940 2,224,600 Howard Dec. 10', 1940 2,230,335 Smith Feb. 4, 1941 2,230,742 Bush Feb. 4, 1941 2,243,354 Musser May 27, 1941 

